|
I can’t take all the credit for the massive rain event in the Colorado Mountains in mid May of 2023, but I do feel my Merriam's turkey hunt with my guide Chris Nowak had a lot to do with it. You see, in my home state of Missouri we have been troubled with days of rain and cold but I knew as soon as I traveled out West to attempt to take my final species for my Grand Slam, rain wouldn’t be much of an issue. I was wrong, the rain followed me West…you're welcome, Colorado.
Anyway, I arrived to meet my Guide Chris at the ranch we were hunting in the pre-dawn blackness. It was really black as my phone didn’t add the extra hour of Mountain time and I was an extra hour early. Dang technology!
Chris however arrived right on time an hour later with sweet rolls and other breakfast treats. I could see his big smile in the dim tail lights as we made introductions around his tailgate. I told him the early bird always gets the worm...or so I hoped.
Off we went to a distant corner of the ranch Chris had scouted out a few days before. Long story short, we heard birds, we saw birds, we had birds answer our calls...but...no luck getting any in range. By late afternoon we figured out where they seemed to hang out and as we prepared for a new frontal attack the rain moved in and it was time for us to move out for a better day tomorrow.
That night and next day was a massive rain event they hadn’t had for decades. Dang that Missouri rain the followed me! I guessed it rained at least 5 inches or more. We didn’t hunt.
The third day was more rain and a muddy ranch too wet to hunt. My long drive from the Missouri Ozarks to the Colorado foot hills was looking like a wash out. Only one more day to hunt, would it rain some more?
Saturday broke partly cloudy and some sun. We walked up a little canyon the
gobblers seemed to like three days ago. Would they still be there? We walked up the narrow valley and set up our decoys. As it started to get light a distant gobble filled the air, then another, then another! The excitement was growing as we heard the gobblers warming up, they were still here!
An hour later an excited gobbler showed up looking for love, as he strutted past at 20 yards his 4 inch beard exposed his youth. We weren’t hunting Jakes, we needed an adult bird. I shed a tear as he walked away, trying to stretch his tiny beard with my mental powers.
Another gobbler across the canyon sailed down to our little valley a few minutes later, landing behind me. Chris poked my ribs to let me know we had a gobbler 45 yards out. I couldn’t tell if he was a shooter or not as I tried to look behind me. Later Chris said he was another Jake as he teamed up with the first Jake and walked away. I shed another tear. Two birds called in after 3 days and no shooters. I had the agony of defeat down pretty well now, how about the thrill of victory next?
The rain was coming back around noon the forecast said...time was slipping away.
Chris and I decided to stay put, take a little break and then start calling again. After 20 minutes Chris hit his slate call with some raspy yelps of a lovesick hen and another gobbler sounded off. We knew this was a different bird as he came from up the canyon, with big eyes and smiles we got ready...again.
It didn’t take long for this new bird to come in. He gobbled all the way in but he climbed the steep canyon wall to my right circling just before arriving. I looked up and saw him in range but I couldn’t see a beard because of the brush and logs. He slowly headed down towards me as I froze hoping my cheap Wal-Mart clothing would be enough to hide me. It was and he walked past my shotgun barrel at 25 yards. I could see his beard and knew he wasn’t a Jake when I touched off old Lightening, my Mossberg Ulti-Mag.
The box on the bucket list got checked off that morning. My Grand Slam was Complete! Easterrn’s, Rio Grande’s, Osceola’s, and now a wonderful mountain turkey called Merriams. My guide Chris was an awesome host and guide. I hope he didn’t see my final tear but it was one of joy this time. Sometimes it takes awhile for your bird to show up. Thankfully mine finally did. Now what about those Mexican Turkey’s and that Super Slam deal?
-Bob Parker
| 
